202 



THE HONEY-BEE. 



give a proper amount of food thus. Thirdly, 

 the bees being attracted to the floor of the hive, 

 often become numbed in cold weather, and perish. 

 Fourthly, where considerable feeding is necessary, 

 and has to be rapidly done, it is impossible to 

 accomplish it by this method, except at the cost 

 of immense trouble, 



Skeps which have a flat or broad top, with a hole 

 fitted with a cork, can be supplied in a much better 

 manner by one of the various kinds of apparatus 

 we shall now describe. 



FIG. 66. BOTTLE FEEDER. 



First, the "bottle feeder" consists of a glass jar 

 (such as pickles, French plums, Jams, marmalade, &c., 

 are sold in), resting on a block, square or round, as 

 may be convenient, and having a hole cut to receive 

 the neck of the bottle. Over the hole is fastened a 

 piece of perforated zinc with very fine meshes. Over 

 the mouth of the battle a piece of fine net or muslin 

 should be secured by a band round the neck, after 

 the syrup has been poured In. Then the block 

 having been put over the hole in the top of the hive, 

 the bottle of syrup may be inverted and stood in 



